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Updated Research Project Assignment Sequence

I. Topic Proposal Assignment Sheet

Topic Proposal Grading Criteria

Topic Proposal Example

II. Annotated Bibliography Assignment Sheet

Annotated Bibliography Grading Criteria

Annotated Bibliography Example

III. Research Paper Assignment Sheet

Research Paper Grading Criteria

Example Research Essay

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ENGL 1102 & Literature Research Assignment Sequence

Topic Proposal Guidelines

• Find a workable, feasible research topic

• Develop a strategy for dealing with it

• Convey your ideas for your paper in a concise manner

In a proposal of one page or 250 words, discuss the following questions in paragraph

form:

• What is your main argument or working thesis?

• Why is this an important topic? What does it mean to you?

• What are some strategies and ideas you plan to use to argue your topic?

o How will these main ideas support your topic?

• Where will you look for sources?

Helpful Hints:

• Think through whether or not you can stretch your topic into a 4-6 page or 1200 -

1500 word paper with at least 4-6 secondary sources. If you have 4 pages with

1000 words – you have not met the requirement. Works Cited page does not count.

• Do not make your topic too broad. For instance, you cannot realistically discuss the

theology of Paradise Lost in a 4-6 page paper without doing the work and the author

an injustice of epic proportions.

• Your proposal should read as an advertisement of the paper that you want to write.

Proposal Requirements:

• Be one page or 250 words in length

• Answer the questions fully and thoughtfully in readable prose

• Have at least three supporting ideas for your argument, theory, or thesis and discuss

each briefly

• Use MLA format

• Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.

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Topic Proposal – Criteria for Grading 10 pts. each

1. MLA Format – margins, line space, correct header (last name and page no.), correct

identifying information on left of first page, font (Times New Roman or Arial), etc.

2. Standard English – correct in syntax, grammar and spelling.

3. No use of second person or contractions (by essay writer – you may quote dialogue

that has both of course!). You may use first person in the topic proposal!!!

4. Required Word Length – 250 words minimum. If you cannot adequately explain your

topic in 250 words – use more!

5. Follows Topic Proposal Guidelines Assignment Sheet.--

6. Clearly articulates the topic and thesis of the paper. (A central, but often ignored,

theme in Shakespeare’s Hamlet is the loss of home triggered by the murder of the king

which challenges Hamlet’s relationships, his identity, and his sanity.)

7. Articulates three supporting facts or points that support the thesis.

8. Demonstrates some preliminary research. (While I did not find any sources directly

mentioning the loss of home in this play, there are many sources that address his

relationship with his mother and Ophelia. There are a multitude of sources that address

the question of his sanity. There should be evidence here to help build my argument.)

9. All facts of the play mentioned in the topic proposal must be accurate.

10. Discusses a plan for research that is more specific than, “I will look up articles in

Galileo.” (Articles on what subject? How will you search?)

After you have submitted this proposal and continue to work on your paper you

may revise, edit, or change your thesis. That change is fine; it just shows you are

continuing to work! DO NOT CHANGE YOUR MIND A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE

FINAL PAPER IS DUE as that will not work well for you.

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Joy Handelman

Dr. Jones

English Composition II

29 February 2016

Loss of Faith in “Young Goodman Brown”

Faith is the foundation of a person’s view of the world. Faith is what defines the world

and what motivates an individual. Defined this way faith is something that everyone has. It is not

limited to the obviously religious. Critics often view Hawthorne’s story “Young Goodman

Brown” as a loss of faith in God. In reality the story is a painful and dramatic tale of a young

man’s loss of faith in his community, family, and tradition. The powerful unspoken question at

the heart of the story is the reason for Brown’s misplaced faith. Brown’s astonishing reliance on

his family, community, and tradition in the face of the devil’s insistence that he walk a bit further

into the forest shows the source of Brown’s faith is not in God.

The questions I need to research involve the reason for this misplaced faith. The answer

may lie in Hawthorne’s own view of Puritan belief. Hawthorne may have viewed Puritan belief

as being centered, not in a powerful just but loving God, but, rather in a powerful, proud, and

self-righteous religious tradition.

To answer these questions and address these issues, I need to look into Hawthorne’s view

of the Puritans. I have found one article online that discusses Hawthorne’s comments about his

Puritan ancestors in an interview. I need to find that interview if I can. I need to look at articles

about the story as well. Hopefully Galileo will yield some helpful sources. Questia may also be a

valuable source. If I can find Hawthorne’s own thoughts about this issue, that will be a great

help. I hope to find his own statement about the Puritan faith in his own words. Journals, diaries,

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and letters will hopefully reveal some of his thoughts. Biography as well as critical sources will

probably be the most accessible sources. Original writing by some of the Puritans might shed a

little light but I do not want to go too far off my topic so I will have to be sure and limit this

information to things that directly relate to my topic.

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You will need 3 good secondary sources for this assignment.

This does not change the requirement for a minimum of 4

secondary sources (plus one primary source) for your

Research paper.

Annotated Bibliography

• Critically evaluate sources in terms of accuracy, authority, bias, currency, and

relevance

• Articulate the differences in the value of different types and different formats of

sources

• Demonstrate that the source is appropriate to the research topic

The annotated bibliography should contain 1 secondary source (with accompanying

annotations) obtained through GIL and/or Galileo and should be formatted in MLA style.

• Each annotation should contain a critical evaluation that states how and why you

will use this information.

• Each annotation should contain a complete MLA citation for the source.

• Each annotation should contain a summary or restatement of the author’s main

points in your words that covers the entire work with an accompanying in-text

citation.

• Each annotation should contain a paraphrase, which is a restatement of the author’s

main points from a specific section of the text, in your own words and an

accompanying in-text citation.

• Each annotation should include at least one direct quote, in quotation marks with an

accompanying in-text citation.

• Annotation should be at least 200 words each.

The source annotated in your bibliography may or may not make it into your final paper.

The purpose of completing your annotated bibliography is to familiarize yourself with your

sources and citation so that you will know when and if you should use them in the research

paper itself.

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Annotated Bibliography

Grading Criteria

10 points each

1. MLA Format – margins, line space, correct header (last name and page no.), correct

identifying information on left of first page, font (Times New Roman or Arial), etc.

2. Standard English – correct in syntax, grammar and spelling.

3. No use of second person or contractions.

4. Required Word Length – 150 (for each entry) words.

5. Demonstrate that you know what each secondary source is – whether it is an article,

an essay from an anthology, or a biographical reference work.

6. Summarize your source in a few sentences and cite with an in-text citation.

7. Paraphrase a short passage from your source showing how it supports your thesis

and cite with an in-text citation.

8. Use a direct quotation from your source and indicate how it supports your thesis.

Properly punctuate and cite this quotation with an in-text citation.

9. Include a properly formatted full citation in MLA format for your source.

10. Follow the format of the attached example.

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Sally Barnes

Mrs. Handelman

English Composition 1102

13 April 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Bierman, James, Prof. Now, Mother, What's the Matter? Dr. Freud's Hamlet. University of

California, Santa Cruz, 2004. Web. 10 Apr. 2017.

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/bierman/elsinore/freud/freudRepression.html.

Summary

In the beginning of Now, Mother, What's the Matter? Dr. Freud's Hamlet, Professor

James Bierman walks the reader through the thought patterns of prominent Freudian

psychoanalysts regarding Shakespeare's Hamlet. Sigmund Freud's own theory of the Oedipus

Complex, or "The Problem," as the underlying theme in Hamlet is the main part of the discussion

(Bierman 4). Bierman rarely inserts his own opinion into the article; rather, he lists the criticisms

of the interpretation by other Freudian psychoanalysts to contrast the other information. The

article closes by proposing that Prince Hamlet should have been angry at his mother not because

she was sleeping with his uncle, but because his desire for her would have driven him mad.

However, that would only occur if Freud's interpretation was to be proved correct.

Paraphrase

On the fourth segment of the article in the final paragraphs, Bierman comments on the

way Freud analyzes not only the main character of the play, but its author as well. However, he

finds it interesting that Freud attempts to back up his argument using inaccurate facts—facts that

when looked up in the Parish Register of Stratford, appeared to have been overlooked in order to

fit Freud's point (Bierman 4).

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Direct Quote

"In the case of Hamlet, the fact that there is no visible evidence that Hamlet harbored the

wish to kill his father further argues to the point that such a wish exists and that it is very

strong"(Bierman 5). That statement by Bierman appears to be correct and it supports my thesis.

Freud's theory regarding Hamlet and his mother was incorrect because Hamlet loved his father

and was heartbroken when he died. He did not want to murder him in order to sleep with his own

mother.

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Research Essay Assignment for ENGL 1102 & Literature

• Synthesize your ideas with research materials to reach new conclusions

• Demonstrate originality of thought and creative insight

• Use MLA format correctly for formatting, in-text citations, and works cited page

• Integrate research sources effectively, fairly, and ethically

• The research paper should be around 1200-1500 words. (Going over this is

fine.) It should also use at least one primary source and at least 4-6 secondary

sources to reinforce, explain, and/or support the premise of the paper. (Works

Cited page does not count in word count.)

Sources should be paraphrased and summarized in clear, concise language.

• Direct quotes from sources should be integrated into the paper with signal

phrases and grammatical transitions.

• Sources should be used ethically and stay true to the intent of the text(s).

• Paper should be formatted according to MLA guidelines.

• All summaries, paraphrases, and direct quotes should be accompanied by in-text

citations.

• The works cited page should contain properly constructed MLA citations for all

primary and secondary sources used in the paper.

• The paper should synthesize the writer’s ideas with research information to reach

creative insights into the topic at hand.

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Research Paper Grading Criteria

No Research Paper can receive credit without properly documented

sources -- secondary and primary – with in-text citation and a Works Cited

page. Students cannot exit English 1102 without a properly documented

research paper. Papers without these minimum requirements will NOT be

considered as meeting the requirement of a research paper for 1102 for

purposes of passing the class.

1. Synthesize your ideas with research materials to reach new conclusions 10pts

2. Demonstrate originality of thought and creative insight 10pts

3. Follow Research Essay Assignment sheet. Use MLA format correctly for

formatting, in-text citations, and works cited page – FAILURE to do this could

result in a 0 for the Research Paper.

4. Integrate research sources effectively, fairly, and ethically. Originality REPORT

no higher than 25% (including Works Cited).

5. Word length 1200-1500 words (half = half credit 50)

6. One primary source and 4-6 secondary sources. Minus 10 points per missing

source.

7. Standard English 10 points.

8. Avoid major grammar errors. 10 points

9. Direct quotes from sources should be integrated into the paper with signal

phrases and grammatical transitions. 10 points

10. Sources should be used ethically and stay true to the intent of the text(s). 10

pts.

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Mary Goodman

Ms. Handelman

English 1102

26 April 2017

Shakespeare in Modern English

Shakespeare has coined a substantial number of words and phrases that are still used

today across the world. Many people often quote famous lines from Shakespeare’s Hamlet

without even realizing it. The reason for the use of Shakespearian language in modern English is

largely due to the fact that modern English in America was partially derived from Shakespearian

language. In order to understand the meaning of Shakespeare’s language and why people still use

it today, one must look at the history of the derivation of the English language.

In the fifth century, the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons migrated from northern Germany to

Britain (Britannica.com). This group of people had a direct influence on how the English

language was derived. Their descendants, who became known as the Anglo-Saxons, had a

distinctive language, which changed over time and collectively became known as Old English

(Britannica.com). The influence that the Anglo-Saxons had on the modern English language is

indisputable. However, English has drastically changed over the years and is often approached as

a foreign language by modern linguistics (Crystal 230). Shakespeare did a majority of his writing

during a period of "English linguistic history" known as “Early Modern English” (Crystal 230).

One of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, Hamlet, was written about 1599-1600 (Britannica.com).

David Crystal gives an explanation for the close relation between Shakespeare and Modern

English:

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Most of Early Modern English is the same as Modern English. The evidence lies in the

fact that there are many lines of Shakespeare where we feel little or no linguistic distance

at all. That is why we call the period 'Early Modern' English rather than … 'Late Middle'

English. The name suggests a closeness to the language of the present day. (Crystal 230)

With a glimpse of history behind the English language, one must study the syntax

Shakespeare used in order to get a deeper understanding of the language in Shakespeare’s

writings. English grammar rules have seen very little change over the past four-hundred years

(Crystal 178). Perhaps this is the reason why readers of Shakespeare notice similarities between

the original text and the modern text of Shakespeare’s most famous works. When people read

Shakespeare, they typically get bewildered with the words Shakespeare uses. However, what

often causes the confusion when reading Shakespeare is the order in which Shakespeare uses his

words. Shakespeare took advantage of the creativity in writing and often inverted the subject,

object, and verb making it difficult for modern day readers to comprehend (Pressley). The word

order that is typically found in the writings of Shakespeare is often found in Germanic languages

"from which English derives much of its syntactical foundation" (Pressley).

With an increased knowledge of the history behind Shakespeare’s language and a look

into the syntax he used, one can grasp a better understanding of the words that Shakespeare used

in his plays. Shakespeare is considered to be "the greatest word maker who ever lived" (Lederer

87). Ongoing research suggests evidence that, in Shakespeare’s published works, there are about

20,138 dictionary headwords (Lederer 87). That number represents about forty percent of all

words in the “English language up to the year 1623” (Lederer 87). Richard Lederer makes an

astounding statement that captures the magnitude of Shakespeare’s influence on language. He

writes:

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Of the 20,138 basewords that Shakespeare employs in his plays, sonnets, and other

poems, his is the first known use of over 1,700 of them. The most verbally innovative of

our authors and our all-time champion neologizer, Shakespeare made up more than 8.5%

percent of his written vocabulary. Reading his works is like witnessing the birth of a

language itself. (87)

Shakespeare arguably had the largest vocabulary of any English writer (A Muse of Fire

00:12:13-00:12:16). His vocabulary consisted of about thirty-four thousand words, which is

approximately twice the words educated people have in their vocabulary today (A Muse of Fire

00:12:17-00:12:25). This statistic shows readers that Shakespeare was much more than a simple

playwright. Shakespeare has "invented more words than anybody who’s ever lived" (A Muse of

Fire 00:13:34-00:13:37). He was a linguistic genius who had an immense impact on the

language spoken today.

Readers learn from Shakespeare the world of creativity in writing. Shakespeare shows "in

his best writing … how to make a language work so that it conveys the effects we want it to"

(Crystal 233). Shakespeare created many words English speakers use every day. Consider, for

example, the word "generous". Shakespeare is the first person recorded to use this adjective

(Crystal 236). In Hamlet, the meaning of the word differs from the modern definition (Crystal

236). When reading Hamlet, one must understand that the word does not refer to monetary

matters (Crystal 236). In Shakespeare’s writing, the meaning of the word is “‘well-bred,

mannerly, noble-minded’” (Crystal 236). In Hamlet, Claudius utters the phrase “most generous"

(Shakespeare 4.7.134). While the meaning of the adjective, "generous," has changed over the

years, modern-day English speakers cannot imagine a time when the word had not yet been

invented.

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In addition to inventing new words, Shakespeare also coined many phrases that are still

in use today. The famous phrase from Hamlet, "Not a mouse stirring" is quoted in homes around

the world every Christmas (Shakespeare 1.1.10). When families gather around and read the poem

"A Visit from St. Nicholas" on Christmas Eve, they often do not realize that Shakespeare is,

perhaps, the inspiration behind one of Clement Moore’s famous lines. "Not a creature was

stirring, not even a mouse" is directly parallel to Shakespeare’s famous line from Hamlet

(Moore). This phrase, and many more, from Shakespeare has a profound impact on lives around

the world.

Shakespeare’s legacy continues to impact lives every day. Hamlet is one of

Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedies, and many people quote the play without realizing it.

Shakespeare had a profound impact on the derivation of the modern-day English language, and

his works have stood the test of time and continue to be read and quoted every day. In addition to

being an extraordinary playwright, Shakespeare was a genius with language, and he created

many words and phrases that are still in use today. Shakespeare created so many words that,

without him, the vocabulary of modern day English speakers would be drastically reduced.

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Works Cited

A Muse of Fire. Films Media Group, 1986, fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?

wID=103291&xtid=36925. Web. 23 April 2017.

Crystal, David. 'Think on my Words' Exploring Shakespeare’s Language. Cambridge; New

York: Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Lederer, Richard. The Miracle of Language. Pocket Books, a division of Simon and Schuster

Inc., 1991.

Moore, Clement Clarke. "A Visit from St. Nicholas." Poetry Foundation,

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/43171. Web. 23 April

2017

Pressley, J.M. "Shakespeare’s Grammar: Syntax." Shakespeare Resource Center. Shakespeare

Resource Center, 5 July 2014, http://www.bardweb.net/grammar/01syntax.html. Web. 23

April 2017

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Auckland, NZ: The Floating Press, 2008. ProQuest ebrary. Web.

24 April 2017.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Anglo-Saxon.” Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 10

March 2015, www.britannica.com/topic/Anglo-Saxon. Web. 23 April 2017.